Updated

Updated · WABC-TV · Jul 25

East Orange Police Identify Suspect After 13 Campers Fall Ill From Mushroom-Laced Chocolate

Updated

Updated · WABC-TV · Jul 25

East Orange Police Identify Suspect After 13 Campers Fall Ill From Mushroom-Laced Chocolate

Q: How did a child manage to smuggle hallucinogenic mushroom candies into a summer camp, and who supplied these disguised sweets?

It is not yet publicly known how the child brought the suspected mushroom edibles into the East Orange YMCA camp or who originally supplied them. What is confirmed is that a counselor saw a juvenile camper handing out what appeared to be ordinary candy or chocolate, despite camp rules banning food sharing. Because these products can closely resemble normal sweets, they may not have drawn attention until children began showing symptoms. Police and YMCA officials have said the sharing happened without staff knowledge, and detectives are investigating how the edibles came into the child’s possession. As for the source, the most specific account so far comes from parents relaying what their children said: the child who distributed the candy allegedly said it had been given by a family member as a birthday present. That claim has not been independently confirmed by police. Authorities have identified a suspect, but no charges had been announced in the reports provided. There are also unresolved questions about exactly what the products were. Parents shared photos that media reports said appeared to show branded mushroom-style edibles, including products labeled “Polk-a-Dot” and “Silly Farms,” but law enforcement has not publicly confirmed the brand or lab-tested contents. Investigators are still determining whether the candy contained psilocybin or another psychoactive mushroom-related compound, and whether any adult or seller could face criminal liability.

3 articles · Updated · WABC-TV · Jul 25

13 children ages 10 to 13 became ill Thursday after a child handed out suspected mushroom-laced chocolate at a YMCA summer camp on North Arlington Avenue in East Orange.
Police said a suspect has been identified and detectives are investigating how the juvenile obtained the edibles and whether any criminal offenses were committed.
Emergency crews evaluated all 13 children at the scene, and officials said all were in stable condition; one child was taken to University Hospital as a precaution because of a preexisting condition.
The YMCA said candy-sharing violates camp policy and staff activated emergency protocols after campers showed adverse reactions, contacting police, EMS and parents.
The case has sharpened warnings to parents and guardians to tell children not to consume food or candy from unknown sources.